Doppelgangers, body doubles, scary costumes, and something sacred
My last day in Puno was great–met a few new individuals and met a few new cultures. It turns out that I had to come all the way to Peru to meet my Israeli doppelganger. Who’d a thunk it?
Eerily similar
I also had to come to Peru to find a body double for my sister. Just in case Sarah ever puts on her thespian boots and starts walkin (and should need a double), I know exactly where to find her.
Sweet sweet Sarah
I took a 3 hour boat ride on Friday out to the Uros and then Taquile Islands on Lake Titicaca. The Uros islands are made of reed that have been put together by hand by the people that live there. Possibly the strangest thought I’ve ever had that these people really live the way that they do. And it’s amazing.
Young Uros girl selling her crafts
Dirty baby of fatness
In between islands, I talked to my awesome tour guide, and he was telling me about how Peruvians don’t value material possessions. They value their family, a house for their family, the earth, water, the sun, and the air. It’s nice to think that people that hold those values still exist in this world. And I got to meet them. In the main square on Taquile, I happened into one of their celebrations. Don’t ask me what any of it meant, but it did include cows, fire, music, beer, scary masks, and dancing.
Dancing with the Taquile family we had lunch with
Taquile celebration
Brothers dear (his hat being red and white means he's single)
Taquile boats
Boy on the roadside
Pisac
Pisac valley
Pisac
Chinchero
Chinchero plaza
Sadly, I didn’t get any pictures of Ollantaytambo. It was raining when we there, so my camera got shy. But, I think I’m going to be there tomorrow morning anyway, as that’s where I start my trek. Another chance for pictures and another chance at nearly dying from exhaustion/high altitude. My tour group is picking me up in the morning at 5:20, and on Thursday I’ll be throwing it down in Machu Picchu. I’m praying for a little bit of luck because I’m the odds-on favorite to freeze to death.
Feliz viaje (name of gas station I saw yesterday)
wordsmakesentences 
the similarity between the peruvian animal (is it a wild pig?) and sarah IS uncanny !!!!! maybe it’s looking for truffles ?!?
were those blankets the woman was selling or maybe scarves ?
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